School Board Meeting of June 15, 2022

View the agenda on the Electronic School Board webpage.
Watch the School Board meeting on PWCS-TV.

Launching Thriving Futures Focus:

• The School Board recognized award-winning robotics teams from Ashland and Marshall Elementary Schools and Osbourn Park High School. They also recognized the Unity Reed High School JROTC Drill Team for winning the 2022 Air Force Association Virginia Drill Team championship, the Forest Park High School crew team for finishing 10th in the nation in the Scholastic Rowing Association Championship Regatta, and the culinary arts teacher at Potomac High School for receiving the 2022 Virginia Prostart Educator Excellence Award. The School Board finished their recognitions with a Patriot High School Wrestler, who was awarded the National High School Wrestling coaches honor for leadership and character, and National Merit Scholarship Program award-winners.

The School Board Approved:

• Recognizing September 11 - 17, 2022 as " Arts in Education Week (PDF) ";
• Contracts to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder(s) and approve change orders from June 16, 2022, through September 7, 2022, to meet school opening and operational requirements below the existing procurement threshold. All awards over the threshold will be polled to the School Board. The Superintendent will furnish a listing of the awards for review by the School Board at the September 7, 2022, School Board meeting;
• Recognizing September 17, 2022 as "Citizenship Day" and the week of September 17-23, 2022 as " Constitution Week (PDF);
• The award of a contract (PDF) for the procurement of asphalt paving and concrete services to the lowest responsive and responsible bidders, Espina Paving, Inc. and Finley Asphalt & Sealing, LLC;
• The award of a contract (PDF) for the construction of the Stadium Restrooms Building at Brentsville District High School to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Hammerhead Construction of Virginia, Inc., in the total amount of $2,244,520;
• The award of a contract (PDF) for the track renovation and field conversion at Brentsville District High School to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, R.A.D. Corporation d/b/a R.A.D. Sports Surfaces, Inc., in the total amount of $3,991,340;
• The award of a sole source contract to Equal Opportunity Schools for consulting services;
• The award of a contract (PDF) for the renovation of the Independent Hill Warehouse Building 10 envelope to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Eastern Waterproofing & Restoration of Virginia, LLC, in the total amount of $2,979,992;
• The award of a contract (PDF) for milk and dairy products to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder, Dairy Maid Dairy LLC;
• The award of a contract for the reinsurance for the group health program to the most qualified and highest-rated offeror, Anthem Health Plans of Virginia, Inc;
• The award of a contract for the Occoquan Elementary School replacement architectural design services - net zero design to the most qualified and highest-ranked offeror, Perkins Eastman Architects D.P.C., in the total amount of $4,114,250;
• The award of a contract for a solar power purchase agreement to the most qualified and highest-rated offeror Secure Futures, LLC;
• The carryover of FY 2022 encumbrances and unencumbered balances, to increase the FY 2023 fund budgets by these amounts, and to appropriate these amounts to the appropriate funds for FY 2023, and further, direct staff to prepare and forward the appropriate documents to the Board of County Supervisors as soon as the encumbered and unencumbered totals are determined;
• The FY 2022 year-end spending (PDF);
• The Head Start Program Cost of Living Adjustment and Quality Improvement Grant application (PDF);
• Recognizing September 8, 2022 as "International Literacy Day (PDF)";
• Annual tuition rates (PDF) and fees for FY 2023 and that daily tuition rates are to be the annual rates divided by the number of required instructional days;
• The payrolls (PDF) for May 2022 in the amount of $68,609,485.01;
• The May 4, 2022, School Board Disciplinary Committee Minutes (PDF);
• The May 18, 2022, School Board Disciplinary Committee Minutes (PDF);
• The June 1, 2022, School Board Disciplinary Committee Minutes (PDF);
• The June 1, 2022 School Board (PDF) Meeting (PDF) Minutes (PDF).

Citizens addressed the School Board on the following topics:

• Contract Awards
• Collective Bargaining
• Substitute teacher training
• School safety
• Increased capital improvement budget requirements
• Importance of books in public library
• Promise by Board to review recommendations on citizen time and boundaries
• Educator concerns
• Transgender policy

Student Representative Matters:

• Introduced student representatives Chance Williams and Daania Sharifi, and student representative alternate Christian Daniels.

Office of the Chief Operating Officer

• The Board heard an update (PDF) on the Energy and Sustainability Program.

Superintendent's Time:

• It is a pleasure to welcome Corey Harris to his first board meeting as a new member to the executive cabinet. Mr. Harris began his role last week as associate superintendent for middle schools. He fills the role as a second associate superintendent for middle schools, joining Catherine Porter-Lucas, who also serves in the role. Mr. Harris joins us from Boston Public Schools, where he served as chief of schools/chief accountability officer since 2019.
• As associate superintendent for middle schools, Mr. Harris, in collaboration with Ms. Porter-Lucas, will provide support and direction to the 17 PWCS middle schools, as well as Porter and Pennington Traditional Schools and The Nokesville School. Mr. Harris has 26 years of experience in instructional and leadership roles across numerous school systems. He has worked as a teacher, assistant principal, principal, and senior director. Prior to joining Boston Public Schools, he served as director of middle schools for Des Moines Public Schools. Welcome Mr. Harris.
• I would also like to welcome our School Board student representatives for the 2022-23 school year. Daania Sharifi, who will be a senior next year at Gainesville High School, will return this year as one of our student representatives. She is traveling this evening and could not be present tonight. She will be joined by Chance Williams, who will be a senior next year at Forest Park High School. Our alternate is Christian Daniels, rising senior at Hylton High School. Chance and Christian are here this evening. Congratulations to these amazing students. I look forward to engaging with you as you represent the critical voice of our student body.
• Today marked the last day for students for the 2021-22 school year. I know many people are ready to put this school year behind us and look forward to our promising future. I had the opportunity to attend many graduation celebrations over the past several weeks, and I am always in awe of the accomplishments of our seniors. They faced and conquered many obstacles.
• Congratulations to the class of 2022, and to the remainder of our students who have completed another significant milestone in their educational career. Thank you to our teachers and staff for their hard work and unwavering dedication to our students, and to our parents, guardians and community members for your support of our students and our schools.
• I wish everyone a safe summer, and remember, PWCS is offering several summer programs to our students. And, as a reminder, all PWCS students have access to free online tutoring 24 hours per day, seven days a week. Through our partnership with Paper, every student has unlimited access to trained tutors to ask questions, work through problems, get feedback on their writing, and grow their confidence. 
• Prince William Public Libraries also offer several programs to encourage reading over the summer. I encourage you to check out their website.
• It has been a challenging yet rewarding school year and we have so much to be proud of which includes a successful return to in person learning, the implementation of the unfinished learning plan to support academic and social emotional learning for all students impacted by the pandemic, working together we established the vision 2025 launching thriving futures four year strategic plan, our school board adopted the strongest budget in a generation aligned to our strategic priorities with significant investments in our teachers, employees, and students, and our students continued to thrive throughout this school year breaking records and winning titles at the local, state, and national level in both academics and extracurricular activities. I am incredibly proud of all that we have accomplished this school year and excited about the tremendous opportunities that lie ahead in the future of this great school division.
• To close out my report tonight, I would like to introduce Dr. Tim Neall, supervisor of program evaluation, to share results of our most recent survey on school start times. Rita Goss, associate superintendent for teaching and learning, and Al Ciarochi, chief operating officer, will support by addressing questions the Board members may have.
• Update on School Start Time Survey (PDF) - Mr. Chairman, that concludes my report.

Board Matters:

• The Board approved the adoption of a resolution (PDF) providing for collective bargaining by School Board employees.
• The Board appointed Adele Jackson of the Brentsville District as the School Board Liaison to the Joint Environmental Taskforce and appointed Lisa Zargarpur of the Coles District as the Alternate Liaison.